Automobile component

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an automobile component consisting of at least two frame parts ( 1, 2 ) that have several complementary profiles ( 3, 4 ) which can be inserted into each other for producing a keyed connection of said frame parts ( 1, 2 ). The frame parts ( 1, 2 ) are preferably lightweight press-drawn sections. The invention is explained with the help of a transverse link for an automobile.

[0001] The present invention pertains to a motor vehicle component as it can be used, e.g., for suspension arms or also subframes.

[0002] The need to save fossil fuels, which also include fuels for motor vehicles, is necessary not only for environmental reasons but for economic reasons as well in order to take measures in light of the dwindling resources and the accompanying increase in the cost of these energy sources.

[0003] One possibility of saving fuel in the automobile industry is, e.g., to design vehicles with reduced weight. Components with the lowest possible own weight are therefore increasingly used. One possible solution is to use alternative materials, such as aluminum or magnesium, for the motor vehicle components instead of the usual steel design variants.

[0004] The necessary safety requirements must, of course, be nevertheless met, which actually appears to be conflicting in the case of the use of these materials. One way out is sandwich components with foam cores or latticework designs.

[0005] Forging methods, which are comparatively expensive and also have the drawback that, e.g., flat designs with thin wall thicknesses and latticework constructions can be manufactured with an unusually great effort only, are frequently used to manufacture of the motor vehicle components from aluminum or magnesium.

[0006] Moreover, suspension arms, which consist of an extruded latticework construction, have been known in the manufacture of motor vehicles. However, these embodiments have the drawback that the cores necessary for manufacturing the hollow bodies must be held by webs. The webs leave behind extrusion seams in the structure of the suspension arm. Such extrusion seams imply the risk of defects in the structure, which can be identified at an unusually great quality testing effort only. For example, a nondestructive material testing (ultrasonic testing) can be used for this purpose, which is, however, time-consuming and therefore expensive in the manufacturing process. If these tests are not performed on each component, the possible defects in the extrusion seams imply safety risks, which are not acceptable for safety-critical components in the manufacture of motor vehicles.

[0007] The basic technical object of the present invention is to provide motor vehicle components which can be manufactured at a low effort in terms of material and nevertheless meet the necessary safety requirements.

[0008] This technical object is accomplished with the features of patent claim 1.

[0009] Thus, a motor vehicle component according to the present invention comprises at least two frame parts, which have a plurality of profiles that are complementary to one another and can be inserted into one another for establishing a positive-locking connection of the frame parts.

[0010] The decisive advantage of the solution according to the present invention is consequently that the individual frame parts can be produced separately from one another and optionally according to different manufacturing methods in order to be subsequently united, which can be carried out, e.g., by means of a single plug-type or snap-in connection.

[0011] As a consequence of their positive-locking connection, aftertreatment of the frame parts can be eliminated. Any desired profile design is conceivable. Furthermore, a latticework construction can be implemented, which advantageously accommodates the requirement for lightweight construction.

[0012] Further embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0013] Thus, in a variant of the idea of the present invention, it is proposed that the frame parts be designed as extruded profiles of lightweight design. The extrusion method is a highly economical manufacturing method with which the motor vehicle components can also be manufactured in large series.

[0014] In addition, it is advantageous to design the mutually complementary profiles as guides, which may be flat guides, dovetail guides, prismatic guides or the like. A press fit is available for connecting the profiles detachably to one another, so that a first seating is achieved already when the frame parts are fitted into one another. The press fit comprises, in the known manner, a fitted connection, in which a slightly undersized component accommodates an oversized one.

[0015] Other connection methods may, of course, be used as well. These include, e.g., welding, bonding or a partial material deformation in the area of the profiles engaging one another.

[0016] Furthermore, securing the connection of the two frame parts against one another in the area of the profiles that can be inserted into one another by means of a clamp is also within the scope of the inventive idea. This clamp is pushed over the corresponding parts after the fitting together of the frame parts and may be secured or fixed itself.

[0017] Corresponding to the stated object of manufacturing a motor vehicle component that meets the highest safety requirements, it is proposed according to another embodiment of the present invention that stiffening ribs in the form of a latticework structure be provided between the frame parts. The stiffening ribs may be made directly in one piece with individual frame parts or be subsequently inserted into the frame parts that had already been fitted into one another. Manufacturing the motor vehicle component in the form of a modular system is particularly advantageous in this connection, in which case the stiffening ribs may have wall thicknesses differing depending on the load and consist of, e.g., different materials. The number of stiffening ribs may thus vary for the individual applications of the motor vehicle components according to the present invention.

[0018] Moreover, it is advantageous to manufacture the motor vehicle component as a whole or in part from aluminum or magnesium or plastic, and a connection of a plurality of types of material is, of course, within the scope of the idea of the invention. For example, it would be conceivable to manufacture the frame parts from extruded aluminum profiles and to fit stiffening ribs made of plastic between these frame parts.

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to the corresponding drawings.

[0020] In the drawings,

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a top view of a suspension arm for a motor vehicle,

[0022]FIG. 1a shows an enlarged detail of a part of the suspension arm corresponding to detailed marked by II-a in FIG. 1,

[0023]FIG. 2b shows an enlarged detail of a part of the suspension arm corresponding to the detail marked by II-b in FIG. 1,

[0024]FIG. 2c shows an enlarged detail of a part of the suspension arm corresponding to the detail marked by II-c in FIG. 1,

[0025]FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of a suspension arm for a motor vehicle,

[0026]FIG. 4 shows another embodiment variant of a suspension arm for a motor vehicle,

[0027]FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a suspension arm corresponding to the embodiment in FIG. 4, and

[0028]FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail of a possibility of fastening of the frame parts.

[0029] The figures show as examples embodiments of motor vehicle components according to the present invention as they may be used especially as suspension arms for the wheel suspension of motor vehicles. The suspension arm designs shown are manufactured as lightweight extruded aluminum profiles.

[0030] In FIGS. 1 through 3, the suspension arms comprise two frame parts 1 and 2, with which openings 7 and 8 for receiving additional motor vehicle components (e.g., ball-and-socket joints) are made in one piece. Furthermore, a connection 9 is provided in the frame parts 1 and 2 on the side located opposite the openings. The frame parts 1 and 2 have numerous mutually complementary profiles 3, 4, 10 and 11, which can be inserted into one another and form a positive-locking connection. A profile which has the shape of a T and is inserted into a fitting recess 11 is designated by 10. The connection of the profiles 3, 4, 10 and 11 is shown in an enlarged view in FIGS. 2a, 2 b and 2 c.

[0031] In addition, a plurality of stiffening ribs 6 are made in one piece with the frame part 2. As is clearly apparent from FIG. 2a, a clamp-like profile 3 is made in one piece with the stiffening rib 6 in the end area of these stiffening ribs 6. This profile is inserted into a complementary mount 4 provided for this purpose in the frame part 1 during the fitting together of the frame parts 1 and 2.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the profile 3 has the shape of a double T, which is mounted in the corresponding mount 4. A respective press fit was selected between the profiles 3, 4, 10 and 11 for the positive-locking connection. The profiles 10, 11 of the frame parts 1 and 2 are connected to one another in the area of the connection 9 as well as at least one of the openings 7 and 8, respectively, as is apparent from FIGS. 2b and 2 c.

[0033]FIGS. 4 and 5 show another design variant of a suspension arm of lightweight design for a motor vehicle. FIG. 4 shows a top view and FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view. The suspension arm shown for a motor vehicle comprises here two frame parts 1 and 2 with the above-described openings 7 and 8 for connecting the suspension arm to the wheel suspension parts of the motor vehicle as well as a connection area 9, which is arranged opposite the openings 7 and 8. The frame parts 1 and 2 engage one another via a T-shaped profile connection 10, 11. This positive-locking connection between the frame parts 1 and 2 is located in the area of the opening 7, on the one hand, and in the area of the connection 9, on the other hand.

[0034] In addition, both frame parts 1 and 2 have a plurality of mounts 4 distributed over their inner circumference. Stiffening ribs 6, whose end-side profile 3 engages the mounts 4 in a positive-locking manner, are inserted into these mounts 4. A press fit may be used in the above-described manner in this case as well for the firmly seated connection between the stiffening ribs 6 and the mounts 4 of the frame parts 1 and 2. The design of a motor vehicle component according to the view in FIGS. 4 and 5 permits variable shapes. Thus, the number of stiffening ribs 6 may vary corresponding to the requirements imposed. A structure of stiffening ribs 6, which is closed in itself, was placed between the frame parts 1 and 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It is, of course, also possible to insert a plurality of individual stiffening ribs between the frame parts 1 and 2, so that there is a great freedom of design here.

[0035] The view in FIG. 5 shows once again a possible embodiment of the securing of the individual parts of a motor vehicle component according to the present invention. A clamp 5 was placed on the frame part 1, which is shown as a detail here, over the stiffening ribs 6 in the area of the profiles 3 and 4 engaging one another in a complementary manner. Such a clamp may also be used for a support to hold together the components to be fitted into one another.

[0036] The described connection of the frame parts according to the present invention makes possible a very simple possibility of monitoring for detecting defects in terms of manufacturing technology, so that a maximum quality standard can be attained and ensured. The motor vehicle components according to the present invention are weight-optimized and nevertheless meet the safety requirements imposed on them, such as stability and strength or torsional rigidity. They can be used in a flexible manner, because the strength can be varied as desired by the additional or subsequent insertion of stiffening ribs. The motor vehicle components according to the present invention can thus be manufactured at a very reasonable cost and in a simple manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS:

[0037]1 frame parts

[0038]2 frame parts

[0039]3 profile

[0040]4 profile (ount)

[0041]5 clamp

[0042]6 stiffening rib

[0043]7 opening

[0044]8 opening

[0045]9 connection

[0046]10 profile

[0047]11 profile (recess) 

1. Motor vehicle component comprising at least two said frame parts (1, 2), which have a plurality of said complementary profiles (3, 4, 10, 11) that can be inserted into one another for establishing a positive-locking connection of the said frame parts (1, 2).
 2. Motor vehicle component in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the said frame parts (1, 2) are extruded profiles of lightweight design.
 3. Motor vehicle component in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said profiles (3, 4, 10, 11) consist of guides, such as flat guides, dovetail guides or prismatic guides.
 4. Motor vehicle component in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the said profiles (3, 4, 1 0, 11) have a securing means against spontaneous separation, which is prepared by welding, bonding, partial material deformation or a press fit.
 5. Motor vehicle component in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the said frame parts (1, 2) are braced against one another by means of a clamp (5).
 6. Motor vehicle component in accordance with one of the above claims, characterized in that said stiffening ribs (6) in the form of a latticework structure are inserted between the said frame parts (1, 2).
 7. Motor vehicle component in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that the number as well as the cross section of the said stiffening ribs (6) are freely selectable in a load-dependent manner in the form of a modular system and different materials can be used for the individual components.
 8. Motor vehicle component in accordance with one of the above claims, characterized in that the motor vehicle component consists at least partly of magnesium, aluminum and/or plastic. 